Study on Durability Performance and Design Method of GFRP Reinforced Seawater and Sea Sand Concrete Beam in Marine Environment
Time
3:00 PM, October 28, 2025 (Beijing)5:00 PM, October 28, 2025 (Sydney)
Contact Us
Email: jbdejournal@sciexplor.comSpeaker
Prof. Lijuan Li
School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Professor Lijuan Li is engaged in teaching and research in structural engineering and related fields. She serves as:
• Principal lecturer of the national first-class course Principles of Steel Structure Design
• Director of the national first-class undergraduate program Civil Engineering
• Director of the National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Civil Engineering
• Director of the National Characteristic Specialty in Civil Engineering
• Director of the Guangdong Provincial Construction Industry Civil Engineering Technology Research Center
• Director of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory Key Laboratory of High-Performance Novel Structures and Building Materials
• Director of the national first-class undergraduate program Civil Engineering
• Director of the National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Civil Engineering
• Director of the National Characteristic Specialty in Civil Engineering
• Director of the Guangdong Provincial Construction Industry Civil Engineering Technology Research Center
• Director of the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory Key Laboratory of High-Performance Novel Structures and Building Materials
Professor Li has led over 50 scientific research projects at or above the provincial and ministerial level and more than 20 education research projects, including the Ministry of Education’s New Engineering Research and Practice project. Professor Li has published one English monograph, two edited/compiled books, three textbooks as chief editor, and one standard as chief editor. She has authored over 400 research papers and holds more than 70 patents and software copyrights.
Professor Li has received five provincial science and technology awards as the first contributor (including one first prize), one national second prize for teaching achievement, and nine provincial teaching achievement awards (including five first prizes). She has supervised over 90 graduate students and serves on the Editorial Board of Spatial Structures.
Host
Dr. Xiang Liu
School of Civil Engineering, Fujian University of Technology, Fuzhou, Fujian, China.
Dr. Xiang Liu earned a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Central South University and currently serves as a faculty member in the School of Civil Engineering at Fujian University of Technology. Recognized as a High-Level Talent (Category C) in Fujian Province, he has received the First Prize of Science and Technology Progress from the Ministry of Education and led three provincial/ministerial-level research projects. Additionally, he was selected as a Stanford University Top 2% Scientist Worldwide in both 2024 and 2025. Research expertise covers seismic performance of structures, high-performance civil engineering materials, and vibration analysis of train-track-bridge systems. To date, more than 30 papers have been published as first author or corresponding author in renowned international journals including Engineering Structures, Nonlinear Dynamics, Vehicle System Dynamics, and China Civil Engineering Journal.
Introduction
The research team conducted a systematic study on the durability performance of glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) reinforcement in seawater and sea-sand concrete (SSC) beams under marine environments. The investigation was conducted from two perspectives: material-level analysis (long-term mechanical properties of GFRP reinforcement and adhesive durability between GFRP reinforcement and SSC) and structural-level analysis (bending performance in marine environments, bending performance under coupled effects of marine conditions and continuous loads, and fatigue performance). Key findings include:
(1) Tensile Mechanical Properties of GFRP Reinforcing Bars: To address the limitations of existing long-term performance prediction methods, this study investigates the impact of marine environments on the tensile properties of GFRP reinforcing bars wrapped with SSC. Through durability tests, we examine how combined marine and SSC effects influence the morphology and mechanical performance of GFRP bars. Electron microscopy analysis reveals that resin hydrolysis during corrosion leads to fiber loosening, which compromises the synergistic load-bearing mechanism. A comprehensive prediction method for GFRP bar tensile strength is proposed, incorporating design life, ambient temperature, relative humidity, and bar diameter into the analysis.
(2) Bonding Durability of GFRP Reinforcing Bars with SSC: To address the mismatch between current central pull-out tests and real-world conditions, this study investigates how coating thickness affects bond durability in marine environments through optimized specimen design that minimizes direct interface exposure. A predictive method for bond strength is proposed, incorporating design life, ambient temperature, and relative humidity parameters, which provides a reliable framework for determining long-term anchor length requirements.
(3) Beam Bending Behavior in Marine Environments: To address the lack of research on material degradation's long-term effects on structural performance, this study investigates marine conditions' impacts on beam failure modes, crack morphology, load utilization efficiency, and ductility. By introducing a bond strength degradation parameter, we revised the bending capacity formula from GB 50608-2020 to enhance calculation accuracy. The research also demonstrates that current standards (GB 50608-2020 and ACI 440.1R-15) overestimate shear capacity while remaining overly conservative in predicting deflection and maximum crack width.
(4) Beam Bending Behavior Under Environmental and Load Coupling: This study addresses the lack of research on coupling effects between environmental factors and continuous loads, as well as material degradation impacts. It demonstrates how coupled effects accelerate deformation deterioration, a phenomenon inadequately reflected in current codes. By introducing a bond strength degradation coefficient, the existing shear capacity formula is revised. Through the incorporation of a coupling influence coefficient, long-term bending stiffness and crack width calculation formulas are updated, providing technical support for predicting beam performance and designing structures under complex conditions.
(5) Fatigue Behavior of GFRP Reinforced SSC Beams in Marine Environments: Addressing the significant research gap in this field, this study systematically investigates the fatigue performance of GFRP reinforced steel-concrete composite beams under marine conditions. It reveals the fundamental mechanisms governing fatigue crack propagation and deflection growth, establishes a fatigue limit prediction model based on elastic modulus and bond strength retention ratio, and proposes deflection and crack width influence coefficients considering cyclic loading effects. These findings provide critical references for deflection calculation and crack width verification in fatigue design. The research fills theoretical gaps and offers essential support for marine engineering applications.
Presentation
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